1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape printing apparatus for printing relatively simple characters, figures or symbols on a recording medium in the form of a tape, such as a label.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, tape printing apparatuses have been proposed which are capable of printing relatively simple characters, such as names, figures or symbols on heat-sensitive paper or a tape-shaped recording medium called a label formed of a resin film or the like, and have come to be widely used.
Such conventional tape printing apparatus, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-185707, comprises an operation section in which are provided character input keys for inputting characters, figures or symbols, the print key, and various function keys, a display section formed of a liquid-crystal element or the like for displaying input characters or the like, and a cassette loading section for loading a tape cassette having a tape-shaped recording medium housed therein. The tape printing apparatus is adapted to make the print head, such as a thermal head, perform printing on a recording medium on the basis of the input print data while the tape-shaped recording medium is being transported.
The tape-shaped recording medium which has been completely printed is transported outside the tape printing apparatus, and is cut by an operator. Thus, a recording medium on which desired characters, figures or symbols are printed is obtained. The tape-shaped recording medium which is completely printed and cut is pasted on the reverse or obverse surface of a video cassette so as to be used as an index or the like of the video cassette.
The tape-shaped recording medium for use in such a tape printing apparatus, when the recording medium is heat-sensitive paper, is loaded inside the case by itself and formed into a tape cassette; when the recording medium is a resin film or the like, which does not develop color by itself, it is loaded inside the case together with an ink ribbon and formed into a tape cassette, and is fed out from the tape cassette to the length which is to be used and printed. This tape cassette is loaded in the cassette loading section provided in the printing section of the tape printing apparatus. Loading and unloading of the tape cassette from the tape printing apparatus are performed with the cover of the cassette housing section provided on the surface (top surface) of the tape printing apparatus being opened.
However, in the above-described conventional tape printing apparatus, use by itself is presupposed, and loading and unloading of the tape cassette from the tape printing apparatus are performed with the cover of the cassette loading section being opened. Therefore, the loading and unloading of the tape cassette from the tape printing apparatus must be performed in a place where space is available for opening the cover. In a state in which the tape printing apparatus is housed inside, for example, a rack, an operation space for opening and closing the cover cannot be taken up, and, as a result, the tape cassette cannot be loaded or unload from the tape printing apparatus.
In recent years, the following usage is increasing: a title showing the contents recorded on a video tape are written on a tape-shaped recording medium by using a tape printing apparatus, and this printed recording medium is pasted on the video cassette, and there have been demands for a construction in which the tape printing apparatus is integrated into a video cassette tape recorder (VTR).
However, as described above, the cover must be opened to load and unload the tape cassette from the tape printing apparatus. When the tape printing apparatus is mounted (integrated) into the VTR which is used housed inside a rack or the like, the tape printing apparatus cannot be disposed on the top surface of the VTR. Therefore, if the tape printing apparatus is disposed on the upright front side of the VTR, and the cover is opened or closed in front of the VTR, the mounting area of the tape printing apparatus with respect to the front side of the VTR becomes large, and the height of the VTR increases, and thus the VTR itself becomes enlarged.
Accordingly, there have been demands for a thin tape printing apparatus which takes up less operation space during loading and unloading of the tape cassette and is suitable for integration into a great variety of apparatuses.